1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a portable programming device for programming correspondences between supervisory inputs and loads and control conditions of the individual loads, which is used for a supervisory remote control system capable of transmitting transmission signals to signal lines according to a TDM (Time Division Multiplexing) manner and controlling the loads by use of the transmission signals according to the supervisory inputs.
2. Disclosure of the Prior Art
In the past, a supervisory remote control system for controlling various equipments from a distance is used in electric-power companies, power plants, and so on. In recent years, the system has a wide applicability of controlling lightings or air conditioners in structures such as office buildings.
For example, as shown in FIG. 31, the supervisory remote control system for controlling lightings L comprises a signal transmission unit 30, a plurality of operation terminals 31 for operating the lightings L, a plurality of control terminals 32 having relays therein, which are used to control the lightings L as loads, and a signal line Ls for connecting the transmission unit 30 to each of the operation and control terminals. In FIG. 31, separate switches 31a and pattern switches 31b are shown as the operation terminals 31. The operation terminals 31 and the control terminals 32 have individual addresses. For example, when a separate switch 31a is operated, a signal is sent to the transmission unit 30 through the signal line Ls. The signal is read by the transmission unit, and then the signal is provided through the signal line Ls to a relay of one of the control terminals 32 in a one-to-one address correspondence with the separate switch 31a. The relay carries out an ON/OFF operation of the corresponding lighting L of the load according to the received signal. According to this system, plural lightings L can be controlled in a batch manner by operation of a single switch.
In this system, a programming device 33 is usually used to set the address of each of the operation terminals 31 and the control terminals 32 and control parameters of the lightings L. This programming device 33 accommodates a large number of switch circuits S therein. For example, when the programming device has 64 switch circuits S, each of which can provide four different operations, 256 operations are available. By use of such a programming device, a set of relation data including a statement of an address correspondence between the operation terminal and at least one control terminals and control data including control parameters of the load(s) can be prepared. Therefore, there is an advantage that the programming operation is easy to perform, as compared with a case that the programming operation is performed by the individual switch.
However, since the programming device 33 having the large number of switch circuits is very expensive, heavy and large, it is ordinary fixed to a control panel and so on. That is, such a large programming device is not suitable for medium- and small-scaled supervisory remote control systems, in which the number of operation and control terminals is relatively small.
Therefore, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a portable programming device for a supervisory remote control system, which can present the convenience of portability as well as various convenient functions for efficiently and easily perform programming operations.
That is, the portable programming of the present invention is used in the supervisory remote control system comprising a signal transmission unit for supplying a transmission signal according to a time-division-multiplexing manner, a plurality of first terminals having individual addresses, a plurality of second terminals having individual addresses, and a signal line for connecting the transmission unit to each of the first and second terminals. In the remote control system, when a set of relation data including a statement of a one-to-one address correspondence between one of the second terminals and one of the first terminals and control data including control parameters of a load are set in the transmission unit, the load connected to the one of the second terminals is controlled according to an input provided to the one of the first terminals. When a set of relation data including a statement of an address correspondence between at least two of the second terminals and one of the first terminals and control data including control parameters of loads are set in the transmission unit, the loads connected to the at least two of the second terminals are controlled according to an input provided to the one of the first terminals in a batch manner.
The programming device of the present invention used in the above-described remote control system has a hand-held type housing for accommodating a display for displaying data to be set, operation unit for programming an address of each of the first and second terminals, the relation data, and the control data with help of the display, data memory for storing the address, the relation data and the control data set by use of the operation unit and the display, and a signal processor for carrying out a first signal process of transferring the address set by use of the operation unit and the display to a required one of the first and second terminals, and a second signal process of transferring the relation data and the control data stored in the data memory to the transmission unit. The signal processor further comprises a data retrieving unit for retrieving at least one set of the relation data and the control data corresponding to an address designated by the operation unit from the transmission unit, and listing a name given to the set of the relation data and the control data on the display. For example, when changing a layout of the loads, it is possible to immediately check at least one set of the relation data and the control data corresponding to the address of a desired load. Therefore, there is a convenience that the relation data and/or control data can be readily and efficiently corrected, if necessary.
It is preferred that the signal processor has a copy unit for copying a desired control parameter of the control data stored in the data memory to make another control data with use of the copied parameter. In this case, it is possible to efficiently prepare the control data.
It is preferred that the control data includes information about an ON/OFF operation of the load, and the signal processor has a switch unit for switching between OFF and ON positions of the load with respect to the control data stored in the data memory. For example, a first set of the relation data and the control data having the ON position as a setting of the load is prepared, and copied by use of the copy unit. Next, with respect to the copy of the first set, the ON position is reversed to the OFF position by use of the switch unit, so that a second set of the relation data and the control data, which is the same as the first set except for the OFF position as the setting of the load, can be readily prepared. Thus, the switch unit enhances the data preparation.
It is preferred that the signal processor has a first setting unit for setting the control parameters in a batch manner such that desired plural sets of the relation data and the control data are identical in all of the control parameters of the loads with each other, and a second setting unit for removing all of the loads concerning the desired plural sets of the relation data and the control data from a focus of control in a batch manner. For example, the plural sets of the relation data and the control data, which are identical in all of the control parameters with each other, are obtained by use of the first setting unit. Then, by changing only a desired control parameter of the plural sets, plural sets of the relation data and the control data, which are different from each other in the desired control parameter, can be readily prepared. Thus, the data preparing operation can be enhanced.
It is preferred that the programming device accommodates a battery in the housing, and the signal processor has a power-OFF unit for automatically stopping a supply of electricity from the battery when the operation unit is not operated for a predetermined time period under the supply of electricity. In this case, it is possible to prevent the battery exhaustion due to carelessness.
It is preferred that the programming device has a signal transceiver circuit for transmitting/receiving the transmission signal when the programming device is connected to the signal line, and the signal processor has a terminal check unit for checking the transmission signal through the signal transceiver circuit to detect a change of the number of the first and second terminals connected to the signal line according to address information included in the transmission signal. For example, when a terminal""s failure or poor connection occurs, the number of first and second terminals connected to the signal line increases or decreases with the passage of time. Therefore, the terminal check unit is useful to detect the occurrence of an unusual event in the supervisory remote control system.
It is preferred that the signal processor has an unassigned-address check unit for receiving an operating condition of each of the first and second terminals from the transmission unit and providing a list of unassigned addresses that are available to additional terminals on the display. For example, when increasing the number of the first and/or second terminals, the unassigned addresses can be checked by the unassigned-address check unit. Therefore, it is possible to avoid providing an overlapped address to an additional terminal, and prevent the occurrence of an operation error due to the duplication.
It is preferred that the signal processor has an unassigned-name check unit for retrieving at least one set of the relation data and the control data from the transmission unit, and providing a list of unassigned names that can be given to the set of the relation data and the control data on the display. For example, when increasing the number of the first and/or second terminals, the unassigned names can be checked by the unassigned-name check unit. Therefore, it is possible to avoid providing an overlapped name to an additional terminal, and prevent the occurrence of an operation error due to the duplication.
It is preferred that the signal processor has an operation check unit for receiving operating conditions of each of the first and second terminals from the transmission unit and providing a list of the operating conditions together with corresponding address information on the display. In this case, it is possible to check as to whether each of the first and second terminals has desired operating conditions after data preparation be finished. Therefore, the settings of the relation data and the control data can be readily checked by use of the operation check unit.
It is preferred that the signal processor has a set-name indicating unit for providing a name given to a set of the relation data and the control data on the display during a time period for transmitting the set of the relation data and the control data to the transmission unit. In this case, since an operator of the programming device can always grasp the progress of data transmission by the display, it is possible to provide peace of mind as to the data transmission to the operator.
It is preferred that the programming device has a signal transceiver circuit for transmitting/receiving the transmission signal when the programming device is connected to the signal line, and the signal processor has a data transferring unit for transferring a set of the relation data and the control data to the transmission unit by use of the transmission signal during an idle time, in which the transmission signal is not used to control the load. In this case, when the transmission signal is not used to control the load, it is used to transmit the set of the relation data and the control data. Therefore, it is possible to safely perform the data transmission during the idle time without preventing the control of the load. In addition, since the transmission signal is used to transmit the set of the relation data and the control data, it is not-necessary to switch an operating condition of the supervisory remote control system from a control mode to a programming mode. Therefore, it is possible to perform maintenance such as reprogramming the relation data and control data without stopping the control of the load.
It is preferred that the signal processor has a selection unit for switching between a control mode, where the transmission unit controls the load, and a programming mode, where controlling the load is stopped and a set of the relation data and the control data are set by use of the operation unit.
It is preferred that the signal processor has a beeping unit for providing an operation beep every operation of the operation unit. In this case, since the operator of the programming device can recognize that each of data-programming operations is performed with reliability, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of programming error and provide peace of mind to the operator during the data preparation.
It is also preferred that the programming device has a signal transceiver circuit for transmitting/receiving the transmission signal when the programming device is connected to the signal line, and the signal processor has an operation check unit for checking as to whether the transmission unit normally operates by activating the programming device as a simulation terminal having a supervisory input provided by operation of the operation unit and an address provided on the display. For example, it is preferred that the address provided on the display has a one-to-one address correspondence with one of the second terminals for controlling the load. Alternatively, it is preferred that the address provided on the display has an address correspondence with plural second terminals to control the loads in a batch manner according to a predetermined pattern. In addition, it is preferred that the address provided on the display has an address correspondence with plural second terminals to control all of the loads in a predetermined area under a same condition in a batch manner. Concretely, when a lighting device is used as the load, it is preferred to use the address in an address correspondence with at least one of the second terminals for controlling the lighting device. In this case, the signal processor has a function of indicating a light-adjustment level of the lighting device.
Further features of the present invention and advantages brought thereby will be understood in detail from the following descriptions of the preferred embodiment of the present invention referring to the attached drawings.